Adjustable cord take-off for attachment plugs



H. QDBBELL, JR

, Jan. 13, 1959 Y ADJUSTABLE CORD TAKE-OFF FOR ATTACHMENT PLUGS Filed Nov 26. 1956 Z0; 3/ INVENTOR ATTORNEYS,

III?! United States ADJUSTABIJE CORD TAKE-OFF FOR ATTACHMENT PLUGS Harvey Hubbell, Jrr,.Long "Hill, Conn., assiguor to Harvey Hunhell, Incorporated, Bridgeport, Conn, 21 corporation of Connecticut Application N ovember 26, 1956, Serial. No. 624,257

3. Claims. (Cl; 339-101).

This invention relatesto: electrical plug-in connectors, and particularly to-an adjustable cord take-off for attachment plugs or connectors, and has for an object to provide. a simple. and effective structure whereby the cord carrying. the. conductors. to the plug-in device, such. as an attachmentplug cap, or a connector into which the cap may be plugged, may be led from the plug or connector laterally at different angles to theaxis of the plug or. connector.

It isalso an object of the inventionto provide a construction applied to a plug-in cap which must. be, inserted in the outlet receptacleuin a. given, position, such, for example, as, a polarized .or grounded plug and outlet, and itis desired that the cord carrying the lead wires to the contacts of the plug be. led off at different angles to accommodate different arrangements where the user may want. thecord to go up, down, or laterally to either side.

With the foregoing and other objects in. view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawingforming a part of this specification. Itis, however, to. be understood the invention is not limited .to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within thescope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front viewof a portion of an outlet receptacle or connector indicating in dotted lines the different positions in which the take-off for the conductor wire cord from the plug may be located with. the construction of this device, without changing the position of the contacts as they are pluggedinto the receptacle;

Fig. 2iis a partial longitudinal section and partial side elevation of an attachment plug involving this invention;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view thereof;

Fig, 4 isa partial section and partial side elevation showing the. two parts comprising the insulating body structure separated;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the lower member of Figs. 2 and 40h areduced scale;

' Fig. 6 is a bottom view of the uppenmember;

Fig. 7 is a top view of a securing plate on the lower member;

Fig. 8 is a partial side View and partial section thereof;

Pig. 9 is a bottom view of the cupped securing member of the upper or outer body member, and

Fig. 10 is a partial side view and partial section thereof.

in the use of attachment plugs, it is often desired by the user that when the plug is inserted in a wall outlet or other receptacle, that thecord carrying the conductors from this .plug be led. from the plugin different directions. For example, it may be desired that it go upward, downward, or laterally in either direction. With the type of attachment plug and receptacle in which the plug must be inserted always in a given position, such, for example, as a polarized or grounded plug and receptacle, this is not possible with the ordinary plug. This new plug, however, is constructed so that in assembling 2,869,102 Patented Jan. 13,1959

it the off-take of the cord carrying the conductors may be located at any one of a plurality of different angles or positions with respect to the axis of the plug and receptacle, and although the invention is illustrated as applied to an attachment plug carrying blade contacts for insertion in an outlet receptacle or connector to engage the contacts therein, it will be understood the same construction can be used if desired in the connector into which an attachment plug is to be inserted.

Referring first to Fig. 1, there is shown aportion. of the front of an outlet receptacle of connector 10 having a circular boss 11 in its front wall provided with a pair of inlet slots 12 and 12a leading to contacts (not shown) within the receptacle, and an opening 13 for receiving a grounding contact leading to a grounded contact within the receptacle. It will be understood that from this arrangement the attachment plug must be inserted in this receptacle or connector always in the same position with the blade contacts in the slots 12 and 12a and the grounding contact in theopening 13. It is therefore not possible to turn the attachment plug to different angular posi tions to permit the take-0E carrying the cord with the wires leading from the plug to be located indifferent angular positions. The same is true where the plug and receptacle are polarized as where the two slots 12 and 12a are of different sizes, such as difierent widths as shown, or different lengths to receive correspondingly different sized blades on the attachment plug.

This diificulty is overcome with the present construction. This attachment plug comprising this device includes a body member 14.and an end member 15 both of molded insulating material such, for example, as a rubber composition, preferably of yieldable resilient rubber, although it could be of other materials. Mounted ina recess 16 in the body member are the blade contacts 17 and a grounding contact 18,.each provided with binding screws 19 and 20 for connection of lead wires in the insulated cable connected to this plug (not shown) passing through the central. longitudinal passage 21. The upper or outer end member 15 is provided with a longitudinal passage 22 in alignment with the passage 21 for passage of the cable conductors, and also a laterally extending passage 23 communicating with the passage 22 at an angle thereto, preferably at an angle of about degrees, although it could be at less than a right angle, and located in a laterally extending take-off portion 2% of the member 15 and through the outer end thereof.

Means is provided for connecting the two members 14 and 15 together, with the take-off portion 24 of the end member through which the insulating cord passes located at any one of a plurality of different angular positions with respect to the axis of the body member 142 and there fore the passage 23 and the contact blades 17 and 18. This construction comprises a cupped member 25 preferably a cupped metal plate 26 provided with a peripheral side flange 27 and having a central opening 2s. The flange is provided with a plurality of peripherally spaced openings 2?, preferably in the form of elongated slots, which openings also provide inwardly facing shoulders 3% Any desired number of these openings may be provided. but preferably there are four of them arranged ninety degrees apart about the periphery of the flange. The plate 25 is also provided with a series of tapped openings 31 for a purpose presently to be described, andthetrnetal about these openings may be drawn laterally somewhat, as shown at 32, to secure greater length of thread. This member is anchored in a recess 33 in the bottom of the outer or end member 15. It may be secured by molding it in this member or by various anchoring means if desired.

A cooperating securing member 34, preferably a metal plate having an opening 35 over the passage 21, is secured on the top end wall of the body member 14 by any suitable means, such as the hollow molded in the member 14 and passing through openings eyelets or rivets 36 36a in the plate. At one side edge of this plate is an upwardly or laterally extending lug 37 substantially L-shaped so that it is provided with an outwardly extending top portion 38 adapted to seat in any one of the slots or openings 29. At its opposite edge the plate is provided with one or more upwardly or laterally extending lugs 39 adapted to seat on the inner side of flange 27 when lug 38 is in one of the openings 29. The plate is also provided with an opening 40, preferably diametrically opposite from the lug 38 for passage of a securing screw 41 also passing through the body member 14 and the base plate 18a of the grounding contact 18.

The device is assembled as follows: By tipping the member 14 laterally, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the lug 38 may be passed into the cupped member 25 and shifted outwardly into any one of the slots or openings 29, depending on which one of the dotted line positions shown in Fig. 1 it is desired that take-off 23 be located in when the plug is plugged into the receptacle.

-After the lug 38 is inserted in this opening 29 the body opposite each of the openings 29 so that when the two members 14 and are in this position one of these openings is in alignment with the screw 41. Then by operating the screw it may be threaded into the opening 31, as shown in Fig. 2, and the two members 14 and 15 are secured together to prevent separation of the members 14 and 15, they being thus held together by the combination of the lug 38 in one of the openings 29 prevented from separation therefrom by the lugs 39, and by the screw 41 which prevents separation of the lugs 39 from their position at the inner side of the flange 27.

If it is desired to change the angle or position of the take-off 24, these operations may be readily reversed. Thus by withdrawing the screw 41 from the cupped plate 26, the left side portion of the member 14 may be swung downwardly away from the member 15 to an inclined position indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. 4, which will permit withdrawal of the lug 38 from its opening 2% and will permit separation of the members 14 and 15. They may then be reassembled with the take-oft portion 24 located at a different angle with respect to the member 14 and the contacts carried thereby, by inserting the lug 38 in any one of the other openings 2%, swinging the two members 14 and 15 together and securing by the screw 41 threaded into the corresponding tapped opening 31 of the cupped plate 25.

With this construction therefore it will be seen that the two members 14 and 15 may be readily secured together at any relative angular positions about their axes, depending on the number of openings 29. With the four openings shown, arranged on diametrical lines at right angles to each other, the take-off 24 for the insulating conductor cord may be arranged at any one of the four positions at right angles to each other, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 1. Thus it may be arranged for the cord to be taken off from the plug and receptacle at any one of the angular positions indicated.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

4 r 1. In an electrical device of the character described, a body member and an end member of insulating material, contacts mounted in the body member for engagement with the contacts of a cooperating plug-in device, means for connecting lead wires to said first contacts, said end member provided with a longitudinal passage for passage of said wires and a lateral extension provided with a passage for the wires leading to the first passage at an angle thereto, and means for securing the end member on one end of the body member with said extension located in any one of a plurality of diiferent angular positions about the axis of the body member comprising a cupped plate mounted in one of the members having a peripheral flange provided with a plurality of peripherally spaced openings, a second plate secured to the other member having a lateral lug adapted to seat in any one of said openings in the cupped plate and another. lug

opposite the first lug engaging the flange to retain the first lug in said opening, and means connecting the body members to prevent separation of said plates. I

2. In an electrical device of the character described, a body member and an end member of insulating material, contacts mounted in the body member for engagement with the contacts of a cooperating plug-in device, means for connecting lead wires to said first contacts, said end member provided with a longitudinal passage for passage of said wires and a lateral extension provided with a passage for the wires leading to the first passage at an angle thereto, and means for securing the end member on one end of the body member with said extension located in any one of a plurality of different angular positions about the axis of the body member comprising a cupped plate mounted in the end member and having a peripheral flange provided with a series of peripherally spaced inwardly facing shoulders, a second plate mounted on the other member having a laterally extending lug adapted to engage back of any one of said shoulders and another lug spaced therefrom telescoping with the flange to retain the first lug on said shoulder, and means connecting said members to retain the plates in securing relation.

3. In an electrical device of the character described, a body member and an end member of insulating material, contacts mounted in the body member for engagement with the contacts of a cooperating plug-in device, means for connecting lead wires to said first contacts, said end member provided with a longitudinal passage for passage of said wires and a lateral extension provided with a passage for the wires leading to the first passage at an angle thereto, and means for securing the end member on one end of the body member with said extension located in any one of a plurality of different angular positions about the axis of the body member comprising 'a cupped plate mounted in the end member having a peripheral flange provided with a plurality of peripherally spaced openings, a second plate mounted in the body member provided with a lateral lug seated in any one of said openings and other lugs spaced therefrom seated on the inner side of the flange and retaining the first lug in the opening, and a screw passing through one of the members and threaded into the other to retain the second lugs within the flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

